Tuesday, November 8, 2022

Using a Stencil to Transfer a Design onto a Rock

One of my favorite methods for transferring a design onto a rock is through the use of stencils.

Here is a picture of a large rock I created using a daffodil stencil...


Daffodils Rock by nancymaggielee
(To see my painted rocks
please go to my Instagram page)


Many different craft stores carry a good selection of stencils, but there is probably a better selection available online and at different stenciling websites.

Here is a picture of just one of many daffodil stencils online through Amazon...


Stencil Kingdom has an enormous variety of stencils that come in all shapes and sizes...

This daffodil stencil is from Stencil Kingdom
(link highlighted in paragraph above)


Stencils are simply pieces of plastic with a design cut in it for outlining.

Using the above picture as a reference, the colors shown (yellowgreen, and orange in this case) would be openings cut into the plastic.

You will fill them in using a form of painting which is called stenciling, which is using a special brush with a tapping motion.  You can learn more about exactly how to stencil by watching the videos below on this page.

The rock you would need for the daffodils pictured above would probably need to be quite wide as well as tall to fit these beautiful spring flowers onto it so keep that in mind when making your selection.

The hosta flowers pictured below would need a similarly shaped rock...


Hosta Flower Stencil


In the hosta flower example above the openings would be the violets and greens, respectively.  This picture is just showing the end result.

If you choose to paint a rock using the stencil method outlined on this page, here is the list of supplies you will need (all are affiliate links which only means I will make a small commission if you buy through this link at no cost to you):

Rocks (the link here is to small rocks) or slate
Stencil
Stencil brushes
Acrylic paints
Painters tape
Acrylic sealer


Learn how to stencil by watching the videos below:








Remember that one of the most important things to learn about getting a great result from stenciling is that the stencil brush should be relatively dry and drip-free as shown in the video directly above.

Here is my video from a few years back explaining how to stencil forget-me-nots:




A stencil is a great tool to use for many reasons.  Stencils come in so many different designs and sizes, the sky is the limit as to what you can paint or draw using a stencil.

Theorem stencils (non-affiliate link to Jean Hansen Publications) are stencils that come in multiple layers having different openings in each one.  This will give your design a realistic effect.

If you decide to purchase a theorem stencil, the instructions for how to use it will be included on the package.  You may want to purchase the exact colors the company recommends using with the theorem stencil you choose.

Jean Hansen Publications has a wide assortment of theorem stencils like the one pictured below...

Tulip Theorem Stencil



CrafTreat Stencils like the pansies and roses pictured below are also available on Amazon and offer a wide variety of multi-layered stencils which is another way of saying they are theorem stencils...











Learn How to Decoupage Christmas Movie Images onto Ornaments

Hi there and thank you for stopping by! I wanted to make a specific tutorial on how to create Christmas ornaments using images from your fa...